


Inn Trouble

by TooGoodToBeBad



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Game(s), Sharing a Bed, That's seriously the title I was going for, and there was only one bed, does this have a plot?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26480089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooGoodToBeBad/pseuds/TooGoodToBeBad
Summary: On the way back to Fhirdiad, Ashe and Ingrid stop at an inn. The room's only got one bed, and neither of them want to sleep in it.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Ingrid Brandl Galatea
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	Inn Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> This has got to be quite possibly the dumbest title I've come up with, and the dumbest title I will ever come up with.
> 
> Anyway, here's the Ashe and Ingrid sharing a bed fic that no one asked for but I decided to write anyway.

Judging by the heavy _thud_ that broke the silence while she ate, Ashe did not have good news. Ingrid hesitantly looked up from her soup to see his face racked with worry. His easygoing smile was gone, instead replaced with a dour frown. 

It was a stupid question, but she asked anyway. “Is everything alright?”

His pale green eyes blinked slowly at her words. “Well, not really,” he mumbled as he thumbed the silver ring on his index finger, the ring emblazoned with the heraldry of Faerghus, the ring that symbolized his knighthood. “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

Now that she could see him fidgeting, his nervous energy bubbled over and latched onto her like a common cold. “Good news first,” she said as she tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

He let out a long sigh. “I saved us a whole lot of money on accommodations.”

“Bad news?”

“Well, the innkeeper gave me the long story, but here’s the meat of it - I got us the last room, and-”

She scoffed at that before slurping the last of her soup. “Why’s that bad?”

“The room’s only got one bed.”

“Oh.”

He nodded at that as he started idly rolling a single coin on his knuckles. “It’s almost a funny story. Last night, there was a whole lot of chaos. Two dudes got drunk and totally trashed a room and destroyed two beds, and another particularly-” his ears turned pink as he stumbled over his words, “-passionate couple destroyed another bed. The innkeeper said we were lucky to even get a room at all, what with the weather outside.”

As if on cue, a thunderclap cut through the lively atmosphere of the inn with a loud boom. The rain seemed to get stronger outside, pattering against the windows with frantic energy. 

“You should take the bed,” they both said in unison.

His eyes widened for a split second before his gaze turned steely and unwavering. She was unwilling to back down, so she did not tear her eyes from his. Her resolve lasted until a waiter dropped by with their dinners.

“If you’d like, we can discuss this after we eat,” he offered from across the table.

The appetizing smell of roasted chicken and fried potato strips was too much for her. “Deal.”

He cracked a tiny, crooked smile at her before digging into his meal. They ate in companionable silence for a bit, and she made sure to savor the rich flavors of the roasted chicken, which were greatly complemented by the saltiness of the potato strips. It took a great amount of effort to resist the urge to just shovel everything in (Ashe had called her a squirrel once, and it was an experience she wasn’t eager to relive), so she took care to eat reasonable portions. 

She looked up from her meal to see him gazing out the window. “Do you think we’ll arrive in Fhirdiad on time? They say the storm might not let up for at least another day,” he asked.

“I don’t think Dimitri would mind all that much; we didn’t exactly cause the storm,” she replied. “Besides, he told me he thinks we work too hard. He said once we got back to Fhirdiad, I was to take a couple of months off or be thrown in a dungeon for insubordination.”

He let out a hearty laugh at that. “He said the same thing to me!”

A shy smile pulled at her lips. “Do you have any plans once we get back?”

His brow creased with a thoughtful expression. “I dunno yet. I pretty much have an open invitation to drop by Brigid anytime, so I might do that. Caspar and Petra said it’s lovely in the summer, and you can see things like turtles and sharks in the water. I don’t even know what those things are, but they sound great!” he beamed at her. “What about you?”

“Haven’t really thought about it,” she frowned. “I suppose I could visit Felix and Annette, see how much little Nolan’s grown. Maybe drop by Mercedes and Dedue in Duscur. And I definitely owe Sylvain and Dorothea a visit up in Gautier.”

“Sounds like you’ll be busy,” he chuckled. “Meanwhile, I will be enjoying the warm tropical waters of Brigid and be drinking from coconuts. Caspar said the seafood in Brigid is totally different from our seafood, and they use spices that I’ve never even heard of! And they have this fruit called a banana - Caspar said it’s the best fruit he’s ever eaten.”

“That sounds heavenly,” she grinned. “Take me with you!”

He didn’t even bat an eye. “Oh, sure, if you’re serious. I’m sure Caspar and Petra wouldn’t mind. If you really wanna come with me, it’d be no problem. We can stay for a week or two, maybe three, and then visit our friends.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said eagerly before putting away the rest of her meal. She pretended not to notice the way he cracked a tiny smile as he watched her, or the way it shot something warm through her to see him smile like that.

As the waiter dropped by to clear their table, Ashe cleared his throat again. “I still think you should take the bed.”

“I haven’t forgotten about that, and no, I won’t take the bed.”

“Well someone’s gotta take it - it’s already been paid for.”

I’ll fight you for it,” a coy smirk formed on her face. “Loser has to sleep on the bed.”

“W-what?” he stuttered. “That won’t be necessary. Besides, you’d just kick my ass.”

“We could play a game or something,” she shrugged.

“Rock-paper-scissors?” he offered.

“No,” she pouted like a petulant child. “I don’t know what you do, but you always beat me.”

“We could flip a coin,” he flicked a coin into the air with his thumb with apparent ease before letting it land on his open palm.

“I’ve seen you fiddling with your coins, so you’ve probably got that rigged as well,” she laughed.

A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. “Never try to out-con a thief,” he replied slyly.

“You know what?” she stood up, an air of defiance in her voice. “Give me the coin; I’ll flip it.”

She lost the coin flip.

In return, Ashe grinned at her so triumphantly that it would have been quite handsome if it hadn’t been so damn smug. Still, a deal was a deal. He got out of his chair, still smiling, and clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder, leaving her shuddering at his touch. “I’m gonna wash up and then head to bed, but not really,” he chuckled, more to himself than to her.

She’d never heard anyone sound so satisfied about not getting to sleep in a bed. It was almost cute. 

* * *

“See, it won’t be so bad!” he said cheerily while they both studied the room before them. He gestured lazily to the worn-down armchair in front of him, weathered by time and the butts of hundreds of guests before him. “It’s got a chair, and even a table for me to put my feet on.”

She eyed the furniture warily and raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Ashe, the chair looks downright terrible. Are you sure you don’t want the bed?”

“Ingrid, I once slept in a back alley and used a bag full of rotten fruit as a pillow. I think I can survive sleeping in a shabby armchair,” he smiled. “Please, just take the bed. I’ll be fine. I’ve got a roof over my head and the best knight in Faerghus literally three feet away. I can’t complain about that.”

The corners of her lips turned down in a tiny pout as he plopped down into the chair and placed his feet on the low table in front of him. With a satisfied sigh, he clasped his hands together and rested them on his stomach before letting out a low yawn. “Good night, Ingrid. If I wake up and see you sleeping on the floor, I’m telling His Majesty to extend your vacation by another couple of months.”

Despite his words, she felt another smile pulling at her lips, and although she had yet to wrap herself in a thick blanket, could definitely feel how warm she was, and she could definitely feel the little _hint_ of something in her gut. It was a strange sort of sensation that was surprisingly frequent in its comings and goings. 

Fully resigned to the absolutely terrible fate of having to sleep in a bed, she crawled under the covers and closed her eyes. As she waited for sleep to claim her, a dozen soft and gentle sounds flitted through her ears like a gentle lullaby. Ashe’s soft and steady breathing, the rapidly weakening pitter-patter of rain on the window, the sharp sound of splintering wood-

She cracked an eye open. _Splintering_?

The silence of the room was broken by a harsh crack before Ashe’s armchair collapsed on itself. A blank stare was all she could manage before bursting into laughter at the sight of Ashe sprawled out on the floor before her. “Goddess, Ashe, are you hurt?” she finally asked once she calmed down.

“Not at all, thankfully,” he mumbled sheepishly as he slowly made his way to his feet. “I mean, I didn’t get stabbed or anything. Guess I really overestimated the strength of that chair, huh?”

“Call it an unfortunate coincidence,” she giggled behind her hand. “Where do you plan on sleeping now?”

“I’m way ahead of you,” he grinned before sitting back down on the floor with his back to the wall. “See, I’ve got this covered,” he laughed before closing his eyes.

“Ashe,” she frowned. “You’re being ridiculous. Just take the bed.”

“Nah, I’m fine. You lost, fair and square. Why are you so adamant about not sleeping in a bed?”

“Why are you?” she shot back. “You’re being absurd, Ashe.”

He cracked an eye open and languidly swept loose strands of grey hair away from his forehead. “Absurd? Me?”

“Yes, you. Just take the bed.”

“I mean, you’re kind of already in it, so I’d rather just-”

The words were out of her mouth before she had the chance to think about them. “We could share, you know?” She was thankful for the cover of darkness; it would be impossible for him to see the faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

“T-that’s…” he started stammering. “I’d rather- it’d be weird!”

“Just don’t make it weird, then. Please, Ashe? I’d feel bad if you had to sleep on the floor tonight.”

For a heartbeat, the room was silent, filled only by his weak stuttering and the thumping within her own chest. At long last, he found his words. “Are you sure?”

A nervous gulp. “I’m sure,” she breathed and scooted over to make space for him on the bed. 

With a long sigh, he got up from his spot against the wall and hesitantly made his way to her. A shock of cold air ran through her as the covers were lifted and he crawled into bed beside her. Or, at least, tried to. His left half was draped uselessly over the side of the bed, his foot planted on the floor and his knuckles scraping against it.

“I don’t think we’ll both fit,” he said softly. “I’ll just sleep on the fl-”

“No, you’re not sleeping on the floor,” she breathed as she shifted to her side, her back to him. “Better?”

“I guess?” there was a hint of _something_ in his voice, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. “Should I lay on my side, too?”

“If it’ll help you sleep better, then go for it.”

With her back to him, she could feel the way the bed shifted, hear him rolling beside her. A low breath escaped her lips when she felt his body against hers, only to realize he had his back to her.

She shut her eyes and bit back the urge to say something, to ask him to turn around and face her, to wrap her in his arms, to _feel him_. Still, she didn’t miss how the closeness between them sent shivers down her spine in a way nothing else quite did.

“G’night, Ingrid,” Ashe mumbled softly beside her, his voice trailing off into the silence of sleep. “Don’t sleep on the floor.”

“Good night, Ashe,” her voice was barely a whisper. Like a thief, sleep crept up on her and stole her away to a land of dreams.

* * *

She woke up to the sight of sunlight breaking through the clouds, dancing past the window and into her field of vision. As she blinked away the last remnants of sleep from her eyes, two things were very apparent to her - the arm draped over her waist and the face pressing into her shoulder from behind. Her mouth turned up in a content smile, and she made no effort to disentangle herself from him. Rather, she found herself pushing up against him to feel more of him.

From the sound of his breathing, to the gentle rise and fall of his chest, to the warmth she felt wrapped up in him, to the way she could almost feel his heartbeat, everything felt _right_ \- even his snoring. His presence, whether on the battlefield or on the long road, was always a reassuring constant, and in his arms, she was almost surprised to find out just how safe she felt in his embrace. 

The peace and quiet was interrupted by a snuffling sound, followed by a groggy mumble. “...Ingrid?” 

With a sudden motion, his arm shot back away from her with a frantic energy, and his face was no longer nestled in the crook of her shoulder. “Saints, saints,” he muttered under his breath as he threw back the covers. 

She rolled onto her back and pushed herself up with her arms until she was seated on the bed. “Ashe, are you alright?”

His green eyes widened at her words, and in the light of the morning, she could see his face was a violent shade of red. “I-I-Ingrid! I didn’t mean to- I just woke up, and then... I meant nothing by it! It was an accident!” he stumbled over his words.

Without a sound, she reached out and grabbed his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. “Please, Ashe, calm down. You don’t have to apologize for anything.” 

“I… I don’t?” he squeaked.

She laughed at that. “Don’t be silly, Ashe. It’s alright. Plus,” she could feel her face heating up as she resolved to look at anything in the room but him. “It felt nice.”

“Nice?”

She nodded her head at that and offered him a bright smile. “It felt safe. I-” she paused, and a deep breath filled her lungs with fresh air and the courage to speak. “I liked it.”

He nodded at her words, and he smiled sheepishly at her. “So did I, actually. It felt… safe.”

A giggle escaped her as she got out of bed and stood face to face with him. He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers, and her green eyes met his. “I’ll always feel safe around you,” she breathed, and the way his eyes sparkled at her words made her heart flip in her chest. 

“So will I.”

Another peaceful moment was interrupted, this time by the sound of her stomach grumbling. His head shot back as he laughed gleefully. “Should we get some breakfast, then?” he smiled at her once he regained his composure.

She nearly dragged him out of the room and down the stairs. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked it! Feedback and comments are appreciated!
> 
> This was sort of a struggle to write, so I apologize for any inconsistencies. And that ending, ugh, I probably could have done it better.
> 
> Side note: I got S-Support with Ashe in my first playthrough (Silver Snow, and that clown left me and I had to make sure he didn't die), so when I played Blue Lions, I found myself really liking his supports with Ingrid.
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


End file.
